


Just As We Are

by Hyrulehearts1123



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Ace!Dean, Aftermath of Torture, M/M, Minor Violence, comment that could be taken as acephobic, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 01:14:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14706335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyrulehearts1123/pseuds/Hyrulehearts1123
Summary: The morning after Dean Winchester was rescued from Hell was one of the hardest mornings of his life. He hadn’t slept that night, choosing instead to hole up in an abandoned convenience store nearby and drink in an attempt to forget what had happened in the time spent in hell.And yet, as he looked back on it a year later, he couldn’t help but smile, before snuggling back into the nice, warm blankets. It had taken a lot of hard work, and quite a bit of blood to get to where he was now, but it had all been worth it in the end.





	Just As We Are

**Author's Note:**

> This was an adventure to write. Not only was I trying a new style, but it's my first time trying anything like this. I had a lot of fun though!
> 
> Really quick I'd like to thank my friend for looking this over and being my beta, You're the greatest, even if I still can't convince you to get any accounts for anything.
> 
> Another huge thank you to the entirety of the Discord Crew, you guys are insane, and I love each and every one of you for your screams of encouragement through the whole process.
> 
> Anyway, here's the story!

The morning after Dean Winchester was rescued from Hell was one of the hardest mornings of his life. He hadn’t slept that night, choosing instead to hole up in an abandoned convenience store nearby and drink in an attempt to forget what had happened in the time spent in hell.

And yet, as he looked back on it a year later, he couldn’t help but smile, before snuggling back into the nice, warm blankets. It had taken a lot of hard work, and quite a bit of blood to get to where he was now, but it had all been worth it in the end.

A rustling behind him was the only warning he had before an arm wrapped around him, pulling him into the warm chest of one of his mates. “You’re thinking awfully hard this morning.” A soft voice whispered, and he found himself rolling his eyes.

“Like you don’t do the same.” He sassed, but there wasn't any harshness to it. Not with his mate. Never with his mate.

Said mate chuckled softly, adjusting the blankets gently. “Get some rest while you still can, Dear One. I have no doubts that my brother has something planned for later today.”

Deciding to take his mate’s advice, he wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, relaxing into the arms wrapped around him.

Yeah, everything he’d had to go through to get to where he was at had been worth it.

 

* * *

  
  


**One year prior**

 

Worst. Day. Ever.

Wait, no, scratch that. Worst  _ year _ ever. Between the stress of knowing that he would have to leave his brother, the knowledge that the time to pay for his Deal was growing ever closer, and the things he’d done after…

No. he wasn’t going to think about that. That was too painful to think about. Not without way more booze than this abandoned gas station had in it.

He’d been able to bust into the cash register, finding a good hundred bucks or so, and considered calling his uncle or brother, but had decided against it. There was no way his uncle would believe he was actually himself, and he had made the deal to give his brother a chance to have a life outside hunting, and didn’t want to drag him back into the life if he managed to get a hold of him.

And so he busted into the the booze left in the store. It was a shitty comfort, but it was good enough for now. He’d find something better tomorrow, but right now he wanted to get drunk, and it didn’t matter what he had on hand to achieve that.

There was a strange noise, and suddenly he wasn’t alone anymore.

“Lookie who’s back from the dead! Tell me kid, who busted you out of the pit?” 

He looked up to see an entirely unwelcome, yet familiar annoyance sitting on the counter, looking down at him with a smug look, with a touch of…… confusion?

He scoffed, throwing an empty bottle to the figure and missing by a mile. “Could ask you ‘th same thing asshat.” He slurred, looking away before taking another swig from the bottle in his hand. “Woke up six feet down, an came here, an got drunk ‘cause m’ brothr has a normal life now an m’ uncle doesn’t know I’m back an I don wanna mess it up for ‘em.”

There was a sigh from somewhere above him, before a hand ran through his hair. “Get some sleep kid. I’ll go over what’s happened while you’ve been down below when you’re capable of logical thought again. For now, you’re fine. I’ll keep you safe until you can think again.”

And as the world faded into darkness, he couldn't help but hope that whatever was going on, he wasn't just drunk enough to be seeing things. He kinda really didn't want to be alone anymore.

 

* * *

 

He watched the kid sleep, running his fingers through his hair and preventing nightmares with a mere thought.

For his siblings to simply abandon him after everything they did to ‘save' him was bad enough. But the sheer amount of dirt that covered him from head to toe painted an even uglier story that there already was.

Abandoning him was one thing. Leaving him to suffer the trauma of having to dig himself out of his grave was another thing entirely. They could have caused him to die again, moments after being brought back!

Holding back his rage, he snapped his fingers, bringing both himself and the young man he would be protecting to one of his many safe houses. There was no way he was going to be leaving him alone, especially with what had been done to him in the pit. He just knew that they would try to spin it as human weakness, instead of them waiting for him to eventually break under the torture.

He glanced at the kid, (let's face it, everyone was a kid compared to him), somewhat in awe of just how young he looked. He was about thirty, yet seemed to hold a boyish innocence as he slept despite everything he had been through over the years. Sighing, he gently moved the kid until he was laying down on the highly comfortable bed instead of leaning against the headboard. He also cleansed the alcohol from his system to prevent the monumental hangover he would have otherwise had, before moving to leave the room. 

There was something not quite right about the world at large, and though he had largely blocked himself from his siblings, he could hear them shouting about something, and that was never good. He needed to find out what was going on before he would wake the kid.

No need to burden him with a mystery better solved by more powerful beings. Besides, he needed to check on the kid’s brother anyway. Make sure he wasn’t making any more moronic decisions.

 

* * *

 

He woke slowly, which on its own was a rarity. But when combined with the softest bed he'd ever slept on, and the warmest blankets in the world, it was safe to say that he was certain he had somehow ended up in Heaven.

Well, that or the demons were trying out a new kind of torture. One where they got the victim nice and comfy before ripping it all away.

But why would they do that to him? He had agreed to-

“That's enough thinking about that stuff kid. No need to dwell on it anymore.”

There was the feeling of someone running their hand through his hair, and he felt himself losing the battle against sleep once more. Unwilling to just drop off without saying anything, he mumbled what was supposed to be a question as to who the other person was, but was met with just a chuckle.

“Just get some rest kid. There'll be plenty of time for questions and answers when you're ready for them.”

He sunk into the darkness of sleep then, silently hoping that he wouldn't find himself back where he was before when he woke.

 

* * *

 

Sure enough, he woke once more to find himself in the same comfortable bed, under the same warm blankets. A soft light was filtering in through windows at his back, and when he turned to look out them, all he saw were trees as far as he could see.

Sitting up, he almost wasn't shocked to see that the room he was in was just as lavishly decorated as the bed was soft. Clearly, whoever had brought him to wherever he was had money, and a lot of it. From the classical style paintings that probably belonged in a museum somewhere, to the extremely high quality, likely antique furniture, the whole room exuded both high-class style, and comfort found in places a person had lived in for years. An odd combination, but very well balanced.

The sound of dog nails scratching against wood caused him to cringe and begin to panic, only for the panic to be replaced with confusion as a short, fat Jack Russell Terrier ran into the room, jumping onto the bed and sat there, wagging his tail excitedly.

“Shit, get away from there! He’s still sleeping!” Someone tried to say quietly, before the Trickster himself came barrelling into the room.

They both stared at each other for several moments, before the Trickster grinned. “Guess I was wrong. How’re you feeling kid?” The trickster asked, and he found that he was slowly growing even more confused. The dog started padding closer, until he found himself petting the it.

He shrugged, absentmindedly scratching behind the dog’s ears. “Confused I guess. Mainly with how I got here, and why you’re still alive.”

The Trickster’s grin faded slightly, turning slightly more serious. “I brought you here. I thought that much would be obvious. As for how I’m here, come on. I faked my death once, why can’t I do it again?” He asked, and begrudgingly, he had to admit that he had a point.

Rolling his eyes, he tried to move away, only to find the trickster following him when he would back away. “That's great for you dude, but I've got places to be, so if you wouldn't mind showing me to the exit…” he trailed off, standing up as he watched the trickster.

The trickster’s grin fell, forming into a serious expression. “Look, the thing is, I can't let you do that. There are things at play here that you have no comprehension of, and I won't let you leave until you know exactly what's at stake here.” As he finished speaking, the door closed, and he didn't have to check to know that it was locked, and wouldn't open until the trickster wanted him to.

Raising his hands to show his surrender, he backed towards the window, desperate to have any semblance of distance between himself and the trickster. “Then say your piece, and let me get out of here.”

The trickster sighed, patting the dog on its head before beginning. “Look, there was a reason that things have gone the way they have. From the very beginning, there have forces at work who’s sole goal has been to manipulate your family towards their objective. From demons to angels, you kids really had no choice in the matter.”

“Hold up,” He cut in, raising an eyebrow at the trickster. “Angels? They don’t exist. Try again to convince me to listen.”

The trickster looked almost angry for a moment, before he took a deep breath. “I get it. You need to be shown something to believe it’s real. Truly, I understand. But this is bigger than you. Heck, this is bigger than me, and that’s really saying a lot. Point is, if you want to ever see your kid brother again, you’ll probably want to listen to what I have to say.”

Before he fully realized what was happening, he had pinned the trickster to the wall, and was shouting at him. “If you think for a moment that I’m gonna let you get away with hurting him, you’re dead wrong!”

The trickster stared at him for a moment, before grinning for a moment. “Good to know you’re willing to go against creatures far stronger than yourself for the sake of your brother. You need to hold onto that will, no matter what. You might just be able to stop it with that attitude.” Growing serious once more, he gently pushed him back until he was sitting on the bed once more. “Now then, I’ve got quite a bit to tell you, and not a whole lot of time to do so. So kindly sit there, shut up,let me talk, and I’ll tell you everything I know about your brother from the time you took the plunge to now.”

With the dog perched on his lap once more, he had no real choice but to stay still, otherwise he would risk angering the trickster by dumping his dog onto the floor. He really didn’t want to listen to anything that the trickster had to say, but he had promised to tell him about his brother...

Mind made up, he took a deep breath and nodded. “Tell me what happened to him. Please.”

 

* * *

 

He sighed, trying to find a way to explain everything that had happened in the four months since the kid had gone to hell without traumatizing him. There probably wasn’t a way to explain everything gently, so he decided to just say it all, and pause if it seemed like the kid needed a break.

“Before I tell you about your brother, you need to know about some other stuff. Things that are equally important, so kindly don't interrupt if you can help it. But at the same time, don't be afraid to ask questions if you're confused. Got it?”

When the kid nodded, he took a deep breath before he began.

“Eons ago, there were four brothers. They got along pretty well, until something happened. No one knows what, but the second eldest slowly began to change, no longer being the happy, nurturing elder brother he once was, but fading to a darker, more cruel version of himself. As they had several other younger brothers, the others decided to lock the second eldest away before he could harm anyone.

“Now, around that time, the humans were created, and the youngest of the four brothers vanished without a trace, and has been assumed dead ever since.”

Seeing that the kid was still pretty calm, and seemed to understand so far, he continued.

“Me and others like me also started showing up about then, though we'd always been around, just without names and solid forms until worshipers gave that to us. Take me for instance, there had always been the desire to prank and cause mischief, maybe even some plain old chaos, but there wasn't a patron for it until someone decided to come up with one, and bam! I existed!”

“So wait, you’re not just some random trickster? You’re like, the patron?” The kid asked, and he grinned, nodding before snapping his fingers and creating a pie out of thin air for his guest.

“Trust me buddy, you didn’t have a chance when you went against me. I’m not just  _ A _ trickster, I’m  _ THE _ Trickster. The first, original, genuine, any other adjective you want to add here, they all fit here. So that thing you tried with the stake? Wouldn’t work in a million years. All that would happen if you tried again is that you would waste your own time. And let me just say, the worshipers that gave me form? Those Scandinavians really knew how to throw a party!”

He watched as the understanding dawned on the kid’s face, before continuing. “I’m pretty sure you know enough of the mythology to know at least some of what I’m, capable of, not that most of that stuff’s legit. What I’m getting at here is that one of the things I’m best at is gathering information about people that they don’t want anyone to ever find out. That’s where you and Sam come in.”

Hoping he wasn’t about to ruin anything, he took a breath to calm himself before ripping off the bandage. “Not only are Angels real, but the stories from the Christian Bible about the end times? Turns out they’re true as well, and you and your brother were manipulated from the moments when you were born to begin it. And from what I'm hearing out there? It's beginning, and there isn't really any good way to stop it.”

 

* * *

 

After being informed about the more specific details regarding the apocalypse of all things, and by a being who claimed to be Loki at that, he had been told that he was free to leave, so he did.

He jacked the car sitting out front from the house, and drove off into the fading light of the sunset. 

He just needed some time to think, space to breathe, all the things that his brother would say whenever he would take a break.   
  
His brother. God, that was a painful thought in and of itself, and all he did was think about him.  Not only had he damned the world by not being strong enough to hold out against just a little longer, regardless of what the being had said. It could be true that the Angels weren't going to even start storming hell until he had broken and given in to the desire to escape the seemingly unending torture and torment at the hands of-

No, he wasn't going to think about that anymore. The point was that his brother had vanished shortly after he had been dragged to hell, and hadn't been seen by anyone or anything since.

And to top it all off, there was no sign of whatever angel had dragged him out either. As a result, there was no way to ask if what the being had said was anywhere near legit, so his only form of clarification that anything had been even remotely accurate was based solely on the word of the original trickster, who by his own words was the spirit of mischief and chaos given form by a human. What wasn't there to trust?!

And so he drove. No destination in mind beyond the desire to merely escape not only his mind, but the daunting tasks set before him, he left the comforts (and likely safety, but who could honestly tell?) of the trickster’s home, and took to the roads, allowing the constant shifts and turns of the winding, never ending expanse before him to distract him from everything. The radio was softly playing some rock station, not to drown out the complaints and never ending commentary about his life decisions that his brother wasn't around to offer anymore, but keeping the quiet at bay enough to not allow his mind to drift towards darker thoughts. Thoughts that would lead him to questioning if it would have been better if he had stayed in hell forever.

He had planned to just sit and drive until the car had run out of gas, before attempting to figure out what his next move should be. If he even had a next move that was possible for him to make that was. His brother was missing, to the point where a being as powerful as the original trickster couldn't find him, his uncle was living life as a grumpy old man that occasionally terrorized and confused the Sioux Falls Police Department, and even his old contacts had moved on, most likely having changed their cells out for new ones months ago. All of his old options were out, except for the possibility of stumbling onto a hunt, hustling pool, or drinking. And while Loki had spared him the hangover from the night before, he still figured it would be best to wait a few days before going to another bar, if only to avoid the alcohol poisoning if there were still any traces of the stuff in his system. It wouldn't even surprise him knowing the trickster.

He drove for hours, from nearly noon until it was almost too dark to see without headlights, and yet the car still hadn't ran out of gas yet, or even showed any of the tell-tale signs of needing a break from running for a while. "Damned Pagans and not respecting the natural order of things." He grumbled, begrudgingly accepting defeat and turning into a town that looked small enough to not have a lot of people around, but large enough that a traveler would stir up too much attention when they passed through. The car may not have need of fuel to be able to run, but he was only human, and needed not just something to eat, but somewhere to sleep and let everything sink in for a while. Not too long, but at least a day or two before moving on. Classic drifter attitude there.

Pulling into the first motel he saw with a vacancy, he grabbed his bag from the trunk (and when had that been put there?) and booked himself a room, not even noticing until he had salted and warded the room that he had gotten a double out of habit. Fighting past the voice in his head that was shouting how stupid he was, he hadn't even been that careless after his brother went off to Stanford and his dad had left, he laid down on the bed, and absolutely did not feel like a giant piece of shit until he eventually passed out.

The next morning was almost the same as it had been when he was hunting on his own. Wake up, grab his things, go to some run down spot for food, and leave town before anyone took notice of him. He had wanted to stay and rest a while, he really did, but the waitress was looking at him in ways that likely would have led to fun in the past, but in the present just lead to discomfort and awkwardness without his brother there to poke fun at over him getting the girl while his brother got saddled with the research as always. With no one to impress, and no one to poke fun at, he almost felt broken, especially after the waitress's comment at the end. 'What, are you gay or something? God, you have to be. There's no other way that you'd be so blind to what I was doing.' She'd scoffed, before stomping away. She had been rather beautiful, but he just hadn't been feeling it, and hadn't felt it was necessary to respond to her advances as a result.

And yet, as the radio fell out of tune, plunging the car into static filled silence, her words began to cut deeper than they had back at the diner. He wasn't gay. Sure there had been the occasional thing with a handful of guys whenever his dad hadn't been around, and his brother had been too busy with school to notice, but he still likes women with their soft curves, and gentle smiles, regardless of how secure a guy's sharper edges, solid frames, and confident grins would be. But the way the woman had phrased it... it was almost as if she were accusing him of being broken for not being instantly interested in her. And that wasn't the case at all, he wasn't broken, just having an off day, right? Everyone had days when they didn't feel like getting down and dirty with someone of either gender, and he knew that. So why did he still feel so upset about it? She had been just a kid, barely out of high school, and barely aware of how the world worked once you got past all the popularity and despair that being seen as anything other than perfect brought upon most people.

Slowing to a stop when he hit the end of the road he was on, he paused for a moment instead of automatically turning one way or another. There was an older man standing off to the side of the road, staring down at his car’s engine helplessly as steam billowed out of the beast. Finally seeing some way that he could potentially be useful for more than being the laughingstock of some nameless, faceless being, he rolled down the window, catching the attention of the man.

“Need some help?” He offered, and the man looked relieved.

“Yes please, if you’re willing. My vehicle stopped working rather suddenly, and I’m afraid that I’m not entirely certain as to why.” Looking at the man, he had a fairly good idea what was going on, but it was still better to look before assuming.

He climbed out of the car after turning off the engine, walking around to where the man was standing, noticing immediately that something was very wrong. The car had no engine.

Before he could do anything else though, a sudden flood of dizziness assaulted his system, forcing him to his knees. “Sorry to do this to you, but we have work for you, and we really can’t afford to lose track of you again.” And as the world faded back into darkness, he wondered if he would ever see light again.

 

* * *

 

A dark room with nothing to light it save for a dim light gently illuminating a small circle around a beaten and battered human was the first thing he saw when he followed the plea for help. He could easily make out the various instruments of suffering, and implements of torment throughout the dark shadows of the room, disgusted with the thought of any being using such things against another.

The human made no sign of knowing that he was there, though that could just as easily be a result of his ability to mask his presence as it could be from a loss of awareness. The human was still breathing, though weakly, clinging onto any hope for survival, yet alone escape. He walked through the abysmal room, taking a note of all of the human’s injuries, easily able to tie individual injuries to the tools used to create them. The chains around the human's wrists were surrounded by gashes, his hands covered in his own blood. There was evidence that he had been in different positions before now, and had likely been hanging from a hook on the ceiling before being chained to the chair he currently was in.

Upon his third rotation through the room, he realized that there was no door leading either in or out of the room. There were several vents along the ceiling to allow the flow of air, but otherwise the room was entirely sealed off from the rest of the world.

As he was about to begin his fourth round of the room, he paused when another appeared, entirely unaware that he was there. Deciding to sit back and observe why an angel would be caught anywhere near a human, especially one with such scars on their soul, he continued to mask his presence and observe. A choice that had often served him well in the past.

“Now, I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I’m a patient being, so I’ll offer once more. Say yes to our terms, and all of this will stop. No more pain, no more torment, just peace forever. And all you have to do in order to make it happen is say one little three lettered word, and accept your fate. So what do you say?”

Looking closer at the angel, he was disturbed to see the microscopic flecks of blood on his shirt, his discomfort only growing when he realized that he recognized the angel.

Zachariah, the primary creator behind the office of the inquisition that was apparently still very active upstairs. And working on a human no less. He had honestly thought that that giant ball of barely concealed rage and bitterness would have never left the halls of Paradise, but here they were.

The human raised his head ever so slowly, until he was capable of looking at his captor. His face was little more than a mess of bruises and cuts, and it was honestly a wonder that he was even capable of seeing with how swollen his eyelids were. Clearly he wouldn’t be capable of withstanding too much more of how he had been treated thus far.

Creeping ever closer to Zachariah, he caught sight of the human’s soul for a moment, staring in awe at it’s brightness, even after everything that had been done to it.

“Why don’t you go to hell? You’d really get along with the people there.” The human sassed, and he watched in awe as this beaten, bloody human still held the presence of mind to withstand torment that had broken several of the strongest angels and still be able to make jokes. He was honestly impressed with the human’s fortitude, which could not be said about most of them. 

But Zachariah would not see how impressive the human was. No, his heart was filled with far too much rage, and had been hardened by far too many years of being responsible for keeping the armies of heaven in line. Zachariah raised his hand to strike the human, and he finally acted.

Unshrouding himself from those present in the room, he grabbed at Zachariah’s wrist, looking at him with rather clear disdain. “No, they would not like him there. He would make them all look like slackers, and they truly hate competition.”

He watched with a sense of glee at the pure terror on Zachariah’s face when it became rather clear exactly who he was. “You are not supposed to be here!” The angel raged, but he merely tightened his grip upon the wrist in his grasp as he glared, forcing the language he had known since his creation to flow from the mouth of his vessel in a way that would not harm the human any further than had already been accomplished.

“And I believed that these behaviors had ended. It would appear that we are both wrong. Now, go run along and tell big brother if you think it will do anything. But think of the way that you have treated this human before you do so. After all, the humans are to be loved and protected over all else, aren’t they? Do not think for a moment that I would hesitate to inform him of your actions.”

Without any further thought, he threw Zachariah from the room, watching with a hint of a smile as he watched his sibling’s grace vanish from the galaxy. It would take several months, if not years for him to find his way back to earth. Turning back to face the man, he knelt down and began to free him from his bonds.

“How’d you get in here? Asshat made it clear that no one but him could make it in or out.” The human slurred, somewhat falling to shock once it was made rather clear that he was momentarily safe.

He sighed, knowing that the human likely wouldn’t be aware of himself for too much longer, yet still wishing to give him at least some small amount of comfort before he faded. But what was there to tell him without revealing exactly who he was? He did not wish to be judged merely for a single mistake that he had made nearly an age ago.

Shaking his head, he sighed as he lifted the human into his arms. “It is of no import at this time. Rest now, and know that you are safe. We shall talk more once you have had time to recover.”

The human’s awareness faded into the void of sleep, and he found himself frowning softly. Whoever the human was, he was incredibly similar to the brother that he had lost so many years ago. That did not bode well, either for him if he was correct, or for Zachariah should his brother not be aware of what had been happening. But that posed a question if he was indeed correct.

If this human was his brother’s vessel, where was his own?

 

* * *

 

It was in a high class hotel that he found himself when he awoke. The bed was one of the softest he’d ever slept on, second only to the bed at the house that Loki had taken him to several days before. Unlike when he was with the Trickster however, he woke quickly, looking around in an attempt to find the being that had saved him. When he found no sign of whatever had taken pity on him, he began to search for a way to leave.

As he reached for the door, a soft voice filled the room, spreading through the area without overwhelming him. “A shame isn't it? I have seen their kind be cast out or killed for far less than what had been done to you, and yet when one openly admits to torture he is given the role of using those skills to bring about the agendas of those highest in command."

He turned quickly, immediately catching sight of the stranger that wasn't there before. The stranger walked closer, holding out his hands in a show of peace. “I wanted to apologize for their actions towards you these past few days. I have know many of their kind in my time, yet I have never known them to go after a human before.”

He scoffed, crossing his arms as he looked around for anything that could potentially be used as a weapon. “And why should I trust you? Yeah, you may have gotten me out of there, but how the hell am I supposed to just believe that you won't immediately throw me into something even worse than that douche did?” He asked, demanding an answer before he would attack.

The stranger just stood there, watching him quietly. Just as he was debating if he could make it out of the room quickly enough, the stranger spoke once more.

“I will not lie to you. I am one of their kind by creation, yet they have abandoned me and declared me to be an enemy merely for not wishing to conform to a perspective that I as well as many others found reprehensible.” The stranger began walking around the room as he spoke, never seeming to take his eyes away from him. “Not that I am too upset about being made to leave, when by doing so I began to learn far more about the truth of things than ever before. I, along with all those with me, learned a valuable lesson on the day that we were cast away, and we have all tried our hardest to share that lesson since that day.”

He frowned slightly, trying to figure out not only who the stranger was, but also what the hell he was talking about. Clearly the stranger was an angel, fallen or otherwise, but what the crime had been was yet to be seen, giving him no true indication of the stranger’s motives. There would only be one way to learn of the stranger’s motives, his crimes, and his identity. “And what lesson would that be? Last I checked, most who end up in hell only regret whatever it was that landed them there.”

The stranger merely stopped, looking at him with the pain and sadness of thousands of years in his eyes. “There was a tale told to one of your kind many years ago by one of mine. One that told of the struggle of all of us who were cast away. I have no doubts that you shall find it, though I would direct your focus towards the first section. Though if you wish to fully comprehend our position, and the lesson that we learned upon that day, further reading shall be required, or you may call upon me. It need not be solely for information either. Should you have need of me, regardless of the reason, I shall come to your aid.”

With that, the stranger was gone, leaving nothing to prove he was ever there to begin with, save a single white feather on the ground, far too large to belong to any bird found upon the earth.

 

* * *

 

He found the kid in a run down motel, near halfway across the country from where he had last seen him. And oh was it not a pretty sight that greeted him when he looked at the kid. There were signs of extensive healing having occurred recently, long enough ago that any identifying grace would have faded, but still recent enough that traces still remained. And feeling for more details, he could tell that whoever had caused such harm was also an angel.

For an angel to harm a human was bad enough. To go after this human in particular was plain suicidal. But for something like that to go without severe discipline meant that there was a fair bit of support behind the actions, but if that were the case, who would be willing to heal the damage done? To defy the Will of Heaven was more than stupidity. It was asking for death by any who would catch them.

Sighing, he sent an extra bit of grace into the kid. Not enough to be noticed by whoever had decided to take pity on him, but enough to ensure that his dreams would remain untouched by the traumas that haunted him during the day.

But as was his luck, nearly the moment that the grace entered the kid’s system to try and soothe things, he bolted awake, eyes wild with fear as he held a knife to the throat of the being before him.

Holding his hands up in surrender, he grinned in an attempt to put the kid at ease. “Woah there kiddo, all I was doing was trying to help you sleep. That’s it.” His words didn't seem to have any effect in calming the kid down, though that could easily be attributed to the panic coursing through him.

The kid was breathing heavily, eyes looking around wildly without taking anything in properly. Feeling nothing but sympathy for the kid who was clearly so traumatized by the time spent in the pit, as well as whoever had hurt him so recently, he made his decision quickly.

Slow as the passing of time, he lifted a hand and pulled the knife away from the kid, guiding him back down to where he had been laying, holding him close as he shivered in fear. “There we go, that's it. Nothing's going to hurt you here. They can't find you with all the warding, and even if they could, they'd be stupid to try anything with me here.”

He kept up a quiet stream of words, making sure to keep his tone even. After a while, he stopped paying attention to what he was saying, and allowed a few more private words to slip out. The kid wasn’t listening, so why should he really put in any real effort beyond making sure what he was saying didn’t suggest violence in the future?

As he moved slightly to get more comfortable, he felt the kid stiffen. It took a moment, but he realized that he was basically spooning the kid, and certain areas were pressing against each other. When the kid started trembling, he quickly shifted to give him more space. “Alright, message received loud and clear. No touching anywhere it could be seen as being dirty. It’s fine, that wasn’t the intent here anyway.” As the kid started to calm down, he waved a hand to bring the blankets back up. He wasn’t planning to stay all night, but he wasn’t about to let the kid get too cold, and he wanted to be comfortable, so it was worth it.

Slowly, the kid was calming down, and finally, after nearly an hour, was falling back into a peaceful rest. The kid really was something else when he wasn’t panicking. Sandy hair, delicate features only slightly marred from a lifetime of hunting, with a light dusting of freckles along his cheeks, it wasn’t hard to call the kid adorable.

But regardless of his feelings towards the Kid, there was no way he would be able to act on them. The kid didn’t know who he really was, and there was no way he would be revealing himself anytime soon. Not with his older brother free, and his oldest brother ready to wage war. It wasn’t even all that safe to even be this close to the kid, but he would indulge for now.

He would be gone before the kid woke up, but for now he would watch over him and his dreams. The kid suffered enough daily. There was no need for him to suffer as he slept as well.

 

* * *

 

He entered the room of the run-down motel unseen, watching the ever interesting human as he flipped through page after page, searching for the last scrap of information that could aid him in his endeavors. He was growing more and more frantic as the minutes passed, glancing at the clock as if expecting something to occur at any moment.

As the seconds passed, he found that he could not deny that there was something almost distressing about watching the human, and seeing the ever growing despair that was quickly consuming him. But what could it be? He had already done away with the angels that had harmed the human, as well as making several deals with his elder brother that he thought he would never make, but would ultimately lead to the human never having to worry about any further interference from heaven, so what could be the problem?

A glance at the papers laying on the table shone quite a bit of light on the matter however. There were numerous names all associated with a single picture, and a list of occurrences with each name. None of the names appeared more than a few times on the list, and never in the same place twice. To his surprise, the picture was of his vessel, though the human had not seen his brother since he had been delivered unto hell for his brother’s sake.

“Come on Sammy, where are you?” The human was mumbling, trying to make any sense of a trail that was erratic at best, and nearly four months cold. The human had done his best, likely putting together pieces that few others would have been able to, but he was only that. Human.

“Impressive. To be able to track a single person for so long on so little information is truly remarkable.” He began, making himself visible to the human. “But why spend so much time and effort? It is one thing to track a target that is harming others, and another entirely to hunt for one who does no harm, and wishes not to be found.”

The human looked at him, exhaustion clear upon his face, before shaking his head. “I'm not trying to bring him back. He's old enough to make his own choices. Has been for a while now. It's just-” he paused, running a hand through his hair as he fought to collect his thoughts.

But it was more than enough for him to understand what the human was trying to say. “He is your brother. You may be apart, but you still wish to be aware of his well being.” At the human’s hesitant nod, he placed a hand upon his shoulder, hoping to give even the smallest amount of comfort. “Rest. I will search for your brother, and inform you of his condition if you wish it.”

The human looked at him for a long moment, before looking back at the table, at the evidence of pieces of his brother's life the last several months. Several silent seconds passed, before he whispered, voice heavy with emotion. “Why do you care so much? You don't know me. You saved me yeah, but that doesn't mean anything. You have no reason to be doing any of this, unless you're trying to trick me. So what's your game? Why do you care so much about a nobody, whos only accomplishment in life is being a weapon for others, and screwing up even the most simple things? Sammy’s a lot better than I am.”

His heart ached for the human, who had tried so hard, only to be beaten and broken further at every turn he took, yet he kept getting up every time and trying even harder than the last time. Truly, this human was the best of his kind, and more than worthy of his destiny as the vessel for his older brother. But even then, it also showed how unworthy his brother was of having this humas as his vessel.

Gently lifting the human out of his seat, he ignored the weak protests as he carried the human to the bed, making it more comfortable with little more than a thought as he pulled the human close. “Dear One, you are more than worthy of all the care and attention I can give to you. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you are worthy or more than I can give, if only you would be accepting of it. But that is not what you do, nor is it how you think. But do not believe for a moment that I will ever stop showing you the affection you deserve, not even when the stars all burn out, and the last remnants of time have faded away. For you deserve everything I have to offer you, and so much more on top of it.”

He felt the human begin to shake, completely overwhelmed by the emotions that the words brought. And as the fabric of his shirt began to dampen with the human’s nearly silent tears, he merely pulled him closer. There was no shame to be found from having emotions, or even from weakness. No one, whether they be human or angel, could remain strong forever, and none could live forever without someone seeing their weakness. If there was nothing else that would happen upon the night, he wanted the human to know that he was more than willing to listen, and would never harm him in his weakness.

Lowering his voice to little more than a whisper, he spoke once more. “Rest Dear One, until your stresses and worries are no more, and you are prepared to face the world once more. I will remain to protect you until that time comes, no matter how long it takes.”

It took several moments, before the human whispered softly. “And if I’m never ready?”

Lifting a hand to hold the human’s head close, he breathed a soft sigh before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head. He more than understood the double sided meaning behind the human’s words, but his response would not change a bit either way. “Then I shall remain always. There is no force currently upon this earth that can ever cause me to leave against my will. And anything that may come in the future will find that they will have far more of a challenge than they will ever expect.”

 

* * *

 

He awoke to the sound of fighting. Not with weapons or fists, but with words that were slowly growing louder and more aggressive. Words that were harsh, and promised violence in the near future if the demands held within were not met quickly.

The Angel (for what else could he truly be?) from before was still holding him close, but it was far more protective a hold than it had been when he had fallen asleep. The chest under his cheek rumbled almost dangerously as the stranger spoke. “I told you, I have no plans for  harm of any kind! I merely wish to remain with one I care for, surely you of all our siblings can understand!”

There was a scoff then, and to his shock, he heard the voice of the Trickster. “Maybe, if it were a thousand years ago! But you’re the one who ruined everything! You fucked up and got us to where we are now! So get the hell out of here, and stay away from him before I shiv your ass!”

He sat up quickly at the sound of something crashing, backing away until he hit the wall. Both of the beings were staring at him, and it took several moments for him to control his breath enough to speak. “What the hell is happening here?!” Reaching for the knife strapped to his leg, he was glad to find that the Angel either hadn’t noticed, or had left it alone through the several hours he had been sleeping. It wouldn’t do much, but it would give him a few seconds if it came to it, and it was good enough for him.

The Trickster began stalking towards him angrily, only to be interrupted by the Angel, who was now crouched in front of him, holding out a blade towards the intruding being. “I swear to you that I will explain everything as soon as I am able Dear One, but you must leave this place now while you still can. I avoided fighting with my elder sibling, but it seems that the same shall not ring true for my younger. Please, get yourself to safety while you can, and I will follow.” The Angel begged, looking terrified for his safety.

But the Trickster scoffed, pointing an identical looking blade at the Angel. “Trust me Kiddo, if there's anyone you don't want to waste your time around, it's him! He's the sole reason any of us are where we are now, instead of somewhere better!”

Fighting to keep calm facing the powerful beings, he regarded both of them with suspicion. “I want answers before I do anything. Like what the hell you’re doing here, and what the hell you’re talking about!” He demanded, glaring at the Trickster.

“What answers do you need?! That bastard you’ve been hanging out with has been hiding his identity the entire time!” 

“Like you’ve been any better, playing at being a pagan! Perhaps you should clarify your own identity before casting stones as to another’s mistakes, brother.”

“At least I’m not the fucking devil!”

“ENOUGH!”

His shout seemed to catch their attention, and they both stared at him in shock and confusion. Taking several deep breaths, he stood up, subtly grabbing the knife from the strap at the same time. “You’re both going to leave. Now. And neither of you are going to come anywhere near me again, unless you want to tell be the entire story. No more games, no more lies, no more avoiding the question. Do I make myself fucking clear?!” He demanded, backing away from both as much as he could.

The Angel looked hurt, but nodded, vanishing between one moment and the nest. The Trickster stuck around a moment more, giving him a dirty scowl before vanishing, leaving nothing but a stray feather to show he had ever been there in the first place.

Suddenly alone once more, he thought through everything he had been told the last several minutes.

He should have known. He should have realized that neither of them were what they had first seemed to be, and that there was a reason they never were outright with their identities. But for the Trickster to be an Angel, and the Angel to be the Devil?

It was just too much. So he did the only thing left that he knew how to do. He ran, driving until he couldn’t stay awake any longer, and only then did he pull off to sleep, leaving to get further away at first light.

Days passed in a haze of driving, sleeping, and running away from the confusion at the feeling of intense pain that the Angel- no, the Devil’s deception. There was no way that he could feel any sort of attachment towards the being, right? He had only met him a few weeks ago, and most of the time they had spent together was discussing various topics, mostly regarding how there was no way that the Angels up in Heaven were anywhere near as righteous as they claimed to be. 

There was no way that he could start to feel anything for him. Especially not feelings that could be considered anywhere near romantic in nature. Right?

He was starting to lose it. He had no idea how to handle the stress anymore, especially since the last of the support system he thought he had left had basically abandoned him.

And so, it was while he was laying on a shitty bed in yet another shitty town that he wouldn’t be staying in for more than a day or so, that he finally broke.

He was sinking, and had no hope of rescue or escape from the emotional agony that was engulfing him.

The neon sign outside the window flickered, before failing, plunging him into complete darkness.

 

* * *

 

There was something in the room with him.

Something that was touching him, holding him, protecting him.

Something that was whispering softly into his ear, tales of times long past, of the creations of galaxies, and of the birth of the Earth, and of humankind.It was soothing in a strange way, and he slowly found himself coming back into focus.

“I swore to tell you of my mistake, and that is what I intend to do tonight. Father created Humans, and called them the best of his creation. We were all hurt by such a claim, whether they showed it or not. We all were once Father’s favorites you see, and we were all at once replaced by this being that was not only far weaker than us, but mortal, and far more flawed than even the worst of us.

“And so I strived to show Father as much, and though I was not alone, and my efforts were supported, Father saw fit to throw me, and all who followed me, from the only home we had ever known, locking us all away in the dark places of the earth. Places where we would never be found, and even if we were, the way to release any of us was hidden so well that there was no hope that any of us would ever be free again.”

There was silence for a moment, and he found himself whispering. “How were you freed then? You led them, why would you be free?’

There was a sigh, and he felt a hand run through his hair. “The last order I heard Father give was that there would be a time when I would be freed, and at that time, I was to be killed for my sins. So the moment I found myself free, I ran. I stayed hidden as long as I could, even to the point of locking away my power in several secure locations around the world so as not to be identified by my strength alone. I was ready to hide forever, until the earth faded, and my companions were free once more, but then I found something far more interesting and important.”

Rolling over, he laid his head over where the Angel’s heart could have been, had he been a human. To his astonishment however, what he lacked in the heartbeat of an ordinary human, he made up for in the hum of an otherworldly power, resting under the surface, waiting for the moment it would be needed. “What did you find?” He asked, glancing up into the Angel’s ice blue eyes with curiosity.

The angel merely smiled, pulling him closer. “I found a foolish human, who had been tortured for days, yet was still strong enough to tell his captor that he would never tell him what he wanted. A foolish, brave human, who had been through far more than any had the right to, and yet kept fighting anyway. One who has shown me the fortitude of humans, as well as the good that they can do, despite all their flaws and mistakes. And if he agrees, I do believe that I may ask that human if I may stay with him for the time being, to learn more about humanity, as well as help him locate his missing brother.”

With a smile, he settled back in to rest. “I think I met that human too. He would agree, if the Angel trying to make the deal with him promised to stay near him the entire time, no matter what happens.”

“I do believe that their agreement can be reached amicably. Perhaps they can discuss this further after the human has gotten more rest. I have heard that the human has not found much rest these last several weeks, and his only real attempt was rudely interrupted by the Angel’s brother.”

His eyes were growing heavier, and he yawned, swiftly losing the fight with sleep. “That sounds good. Maybe he can allow the other to come near as well if the Angel’s brother makes an effort to play nice.”

There was a chuckle from the Angel, and the hand running through his hair returned, massaging his scalp. “Perhaps. Rest Dear One, for there is much to so when you awake.”

As the world faded away once more, he couldn’t help but to smile, feeling at peace for the first time in a very long time. They would figure out the rest tomorrow, tonight was for sleep, and healing.

 

* * *

 

The smell of pancakes awoke him, but it was the whispering between his mate and the Messenger that convinced him to sit, and find his way out of his many blankets.

Peeking out the door of his bedroom, he smiled at the sight of his mate and the Messenger sitting together on the couch, debating the terms of a future Courtship between them. He had no problems with his mate handling that conversation, especially when his mate knew everything about him.

They still hadn’t found his brother yet, but he was beginning to move on. It had been hard to come to terms with Sam’s absence, especially since unlike when Sam had left for Stanford, he didn’t know where he was.

Grabbing one of the many soft blankets that they kept around the house, he sat between his mate and the Messenger, throwing the blanket over them all as he made himself comfortable. “I woke up and you were gone.” He complained, smiling as the pair wrapped their arms around him.

“Now that’s just not right. For you to be deprived of your morning cuddle session like that may as well be tantamount to a crime!” 

“Indeed, We should do our best to rectify the situation as quickly, wouldn’t you agree?”

With his mate and the Messenger so close to him, both blanketing him in their wings, he couldn’t help but start to fall back into a light doze.

Getting to the point they were at had been difficult, but it had been worth it. He was safe, surrounded by those who loved him, and more open with his emotions than he had been since that night when he was four years old. There wasn’t a lot more that could make his current situation much better than it already was, especially when his mate began to hum softly.

No matter what happened in the future, be it Sam reappearing, or his mate’s older brother coming after them, there was little that would be able to tear them apart. Their bond was just too strong to break.

And that was how they would stay.


End file.
